Chapter
Four
t took me one blink to realize I’d made a mistake in rushing into this meeting unprepared.I The royal family was large. Very large. No fewer than a hundred Descended were crowded into the spacious sitting room, and more were still flowing in from doors in the back.
They were dressed in the finest clothing, the room awash with silk and satin, velvet and brocade. Men and women alike had hair in a rainbow of unnatural hues woven into elaborate plaits, sweeping updos, or elegant curls. Arms glittered with eye- popping baubles, any one of which was worth enough to feed a mortal family for weeks.
On my previous visits, the Descended I’d met were exceedingly formal, clad in attire more fit for a ball than a casual day at home. Tonight, though, many of the royals—particularly those who looked close to me in age—wore scandalously little. I’d seen more modest outfits on the sex purveyors in Paradise Row.
Nearly all the adults stood taller than me, an ocean of eyes gazing down their perfectly straight, perfectly pert noses. I had always been tall for a mortal woman, but if I was indeed a Descended, I must be petite for my kind, a fact that rankled my nerves. I hadn’t appreciated how much my height had fed my confidence until it was ripped away from me.
As usual, each of them was a work of art, breathtakingly beautiful in their own way. Their ubiquitous blue eyes ranged from deepest midnight to radiant cobalt to a pastel so pale it was nearly white. After a lifetime surrounded only by the brown eyes of mortals, I found each gaze more transfixing than the next.
Even the room was sumptuously dressed. An entire wall was dedicated to a hand-painted depiction of King Ulther on his throne, a black sash of mourning already draped across his face. Scattered among the chairs and settees were tables littered with gilded goblets and heavy-bottomed cut crystal decanters that sparkled in the glow of an enormous chandelier.
And then there was... me.
Soggy and mud-stained, wearing ill-fitting clothing that stunk of brine. Messy hair, half-escaped from its sloppy braid. Dull, colorless eyes rimmed red with exhaustion. Mortal weapons that were as useful as twigs.
In the mortal world, my ego had been nurtured by my parents. My father had taught me to be strong and fearless, adept with weapons of all types. My mother taught me to be clever and independent—and most of all, unafraid to use my own voice.
But here, among the children of the gods, I’d never felt more mediocre.
I stared at them, unmoving, unspeaking, quietly regretting every choice I’d made. I debated how bad it would look if I fled the palace and sprinted all the way back to Mortal City to try this again some other day.
The back of Luther’s hand brushed against mine—just for a moment, but too long, too lingering to be unintended.
He dipped his chin low. “Your Majesty, it is my honor to introduce my family, House Corbois.” He gestured to the room.
“House Corbois, I present the heir to the Crown, Her Royal Majesty Diem Bellator, Queen of Lumnos, Realm of Light and
Shadows.”
Silence.
Not a soul moved.
Luther’s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice growing louder. “Our King is dead.” He swiveled to face me, then closed his fist and beat it once across his chest with a furious thump. His chin dropped as he lowered to his knees. “Long live our Queen.”
Lily followed almost instantly. Then, one by one, others joined in, even the servants who had been quietly filling glasses and craning their necks for a peek, the room falling still in wait for my acknowledgement.
I gazed out at the room of kneeling bodies. My petty side wanted to leave them there and let them marinate in fear that their influence had come to an end. But if I wanted to dismantle the Descended’s power on my own, I’d need to do it from within.
For that, I needed them to trust me.
For now.
“You may rise,” I called out.
An older man with dark hair, pale skin, and a well-groomed beard stepped forward. “Your Majesty, I am Remis Corbois, younger brother of our late King Ulther, may Blessed Mother Lumnos guard his soul. I have the honor of ruling the realm as Regent until your Rite of Coronation.”
He paused, his expression expectant.
I said nothing.
He cleared his throat, then turned and beckoned. A woman with thin lips and long black curls stepped forward to join him, followed by Lily, who studiously avoided my eyes.
“Allow me to introduce my wife, Avana, and my youngest, Lilian.” The two ladies curtsied in unison. He gave a curt glance to Luther. “It appears you’ve already met my son.”
Luther’s parents—and Lily’s. I wondered what kind of people they must be to have raised such different children. My head cocked as my gaze washed over them in bold appraisal.
Remis noted the gesture with a tightening of his jaw. “May I also present my eldest brother, Garath Corbois, Warden of the Shadows, his wife Freah, and their sons, Aemonn and Taran.”
Four of the most beautiful people I had ever seen, two older and two younger, emerged from the throng. Together, they looked carved from marble and dipped in liquid gold.
The elder couple were stunning in their elegance, floating forward as if carried on air. The elder man had tan skin and dark blond hair, lightly touched with grey, pulled into a single plait. The woman seemed otherworldly with her fair complexion and platinum tresses that fell in a silken sheet to the curve of her waist. Both had angular features that accentuated their cold, cunning eyes. I noted how they offered only a subtle dip of their chin as they approached.
Their sons, on the other hand...
The younger one, Taran, stepped forward first. I recognized him as the blond man who had been at Luther’s side at the armory fire. He was a wall of muscle upon muscle that should have been intimidating, but his quirky half-smile and relaxed posture instantly put me at ease. His simple white tunic and leather breeches almost made him look mortal, if it weren’t for his colossal size.
He bowed, low and quick, hands resting casually on the hilts of his blades. They, too, were plain, prioritizing function over beauty—a rarity among the Descended. He must have seen me note his grip on them, as he swiftly dropped his hands to his sides with a sheepish grin. “Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
He was abruptly edged out by his older brother, Aemonn, who stepped in front of Taran and gave a dramatic bow.
I couldn’t deny that Aemonn was gorgeous. More svelte than his brawny brother, he moved with the same fluid grace as his parents. His short, golden hair was styled into a perfect swoop, not a strand out of place, quite the contrast to his brother’s messy shoulder-length waves.
Aemonn reached forward to take my hand, his fingers soft as they curled around mine and pressed my knuckles to his lips.
“Long live the Queen,” he purred.
From the corner of my eye, I caught Luther and Taran share an annoyed glance.
In truth, I found Aemonn’s flirting rather shameless, but the discovery that Luther was not fond of him had my devious side flaring. I fluttered my lashes and offered Aemonn a charmed smile.
“How gallant,” I cooed.
Luther frowned deeply.
The next hour was a blur of rapid-fire introductions. Each Corbois was polite, if cold, though I expected nothing less. Their faces merged together in my wearied head, and when the receiving line ended, I could remember only a handful of names.
A young woman named Eleanor had been a bright spot in the dispassionate crowd. Her bubbly laughter was unexpected and contagious, and I found myself matching her enthusiasm as we chatted. Her voice struck a chord in my memory, though I couldn’t seem to place where, and I didn’t have the nerve to ask.
And then there was Alixe. Like Taran, she had been at the armory the night of the attack. When Luther had forbid me from going in to save the stranded guards, she alone had believed I could do it. I saw the same gleam of recognition in her eyes, and we shared a nod of mutual respect.
Alixe was... I hardly had the words to describe her. She was pure warrior. With a lithe but toned body, numerous piercings, a half-shaved head and a calculating stare, Alixe looked born for the killing fields.
But not as a mindless grunt soldier. No, Alixe looked like the person you’d send to strike down an enemy king in the heart of his own war camp—and still expect her to return home without a scratch. Alixe was the mighty heroine I had merely played at being in every mock war Teller and I had staged as children.
Half of me idolized her and debated how to convince her to shape me in her image. The other half thought of my hidden goals and wondered if I would have to find a way to kill her before she killed me first.
Luther stayed at my side through the night, his demeanor unflappably calm. He offered few comments, only cutting in to pull me away when a relative’s questions turned uncomfortably probing.
Occasionally, he stepped away to give orders to various servants or guards, and I was annoyed at myself for how anxious I grew in his absence. Despite my distrust of him, he had become my tether in this odd new world, and I wasn’t ready to float into the dark expanse of it alone just yet.
Once I’d met everyone, Luther’s father Remis stepped forward to usher me to a settee in the center of the room. He took a
seat directly opposite me with his wife and daughter. Luther’s uncle Garath and his family joined us, reclining on various chairs and ottomans nearby, while the rest of the family milled about, poorly pretending not to eavesdrop.
Only Luther dared to sit beside me.
“My son announced your surname as Bellator,” Remis said. “I’m afraid I’m unfamiliar with that House. What region of Lumnos do you hail from?”
I almost laughed. Among mortals, my father’s name was legendary. For Remis to be Regent and not know the name of a famed mortal war hero who lived in his realm... it only further confirmed my plans.
“I hail from this region,” I answered. “In fact, I’ve spent my life a stone’s throw from this very palace.”
Luther tensed.
Remis lifted his eyebrows. “Surprising, indeed. I thought I knew all the Houses of Lumnos City.”
I smiled coldly. “Perhaps you’re not as familiar with the inhabitants of our great realm as you thought.”
A vein twitched along Remis’s forehead. He returned the smile and nodded. “A flaw I will endeavor to correct immediately.”
Alixe edged closer to the group. “Are you any relation to Andrei Bellator?”
“My father,” I confirmed.
Remis turned to Alixe. “You know him?”
“I know of him. I thought everyone did.”
I was beginning to like her more and more.
“He’s a highly respected army commander,” she continued. “The highest-ranking mortal in our history. He’s been retired for some time, but they still tell tales of his leadership.”
I couldn’t suppress a proud smile.
“A mortal?” Garath practically spat the word, as if saying it left some foul taste on his tongue. “You have a mortal parent?”
I debated my response. I had not forgotten Luther’s cryptic advice—Tell them as little as possible—but I also knew I could only hide my lineage for so long. Soon enough, it would become painfully clear how little I knew about the Descended and their culture. Attempting to hide the reason why would only generate greater suspicion.
“Two of them, in fact,” I answered finally. “My mother is mortal, as well.”
Gasps and whispers floated through the room.
“You’re... mortal?” Remis said, frowning.
“No, she isn’t,” Luther cut in before I could respond. “Andrei Bellator is her adopted father.”
My head whipped to him in surprise. Even the people in Mortal City didn’t know that, and I certainly had never told him.
“And your birth father?” Garath asked.
I gritted my teeth. “He died before I was born. I do not know his identity.”
More shocked noises and twittering voices. I kept my face stony and offered no reaction.
“Forgive our surprise, Your Majesty,” Remis said. “Children of mortals and Descended are...”
“Forbidden,” I said flatly. “I’m aware.”
“We’ll have to... that is, many will demand...” Remis shifted in his seat. “The other Houses will expect there to be an inquiry into your parentage.”
“It’s unlikely to be fruitful. My father has no knowledge of my sire, and my mother is...” I hesitated. “...no longer with us.”
The whispers had turned to outright cacophony. Remis looked nauseous. Garath and his wife were sneering like I’d grown horns. Luther’s friend Taran was grinning.
Luther rose and straightened his doublet, then cleared his throat. The talking silenced instantly, the entire family looking to the Prince with hushed respect.
“I admit that our new Queen’s upbringing is unusual,” he began.
“You mean appalling,” Garath muttered.
“However,” he went on, “this creates a unique opportunity. An Unhoused Descended has never successfully taken the throne. Ruling a realm is difficult even with the support of a large House. Doing it alone would be...” He turned to me, his chin
lowering. “Dangerous.”
My eyes narrowed. Was that a threat?
“But if you were to claim House Corbois,” he continued smoothly, “we could be powerful allies.”
Remis sat up straight as he caught on to his son’s scheme. “Indeed, Your Majesty, we would be honored to welcome you as one of our own. House Corbois has held the Crown for centuries—no House is better suited to help you meet the demands of the role. We can offer you a wealth of resources, as well as our protection in the Challenging.”
“Protection?” I asked.
“No member of House Corbois would dare to Challenge you... if you were one of us.” Despite Remis’s smile, there was an edge in his tone. Another threat, just like his son.
Garath stiffened. “The other Houses won’t allow her to claim House Corbois without a blood relative. If they discover
she’s selecting a House at whim, there will be chaos. Worse yet when they discover she’s a half-breed.”
My irritation flared at the derogatory slur.
“We’re all half-breeds, Father,” Taran said with a hint of mischief. “We all descend from Lumnos and her mortal consort.
Unless, of course, you’re suggesting the Blessed Mother engaged in incest with her Kindred brothers.”
“But that would be heresy,” someone added cheerfully—Eleanor, the woman I remembered from earlier. “And no Corbois would ever blaspheme our patron goddess, right Uncle?”
Garath glared at them both, and Eleanor and Taran shared a wicked grin.
“Besides,” Taran said, shrugging, “we’ve got hundreds of dead cousins. Surely there’s one we can pin as her father.”
That answer seemed to appease the group, and a silence fell over the room as their faces turned to me.
I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting—I’d been operating on adrenaline and near-constant confusion ever since the dying King had grabbed my hand and started shouting prophetic gibberish.
I had no interest in allying myself with this wretched family, who had ruled over so much of the very oppression I wanted to undo. And I definitely had no interest in allying with Prince Luther.
But if I declined the offer and Luther Challenged me on behalf of his House... despite all my bravado, I’d be dead in a heartbeat.
And I knew nothing of the other Descended Houses. Perhaps they were just as bad—or worse.
I looked over at Luther, his expression dark and unreadable. Had he proposed this plan to repay the debt he claimed he owed me, or to set me up for failure so he could claim a Crown he wanted for himself?
He sat back down beside me—close enough that his thigh pressed against mine, alighting a flutter of eyebrows throughout the room.
“This is a significant decision,” he said. “Perhaps Your Majesty would like some time to consider it.”
Time. Yes, I needed time.
“Yes,” I answered quickly. “I... I’ll think on it.”
Remis nodded, then rose and looked out at his family. “Until then, none of us shall speak of our Queen except to those in this room. Is that understood, House Corbois?”
A murmur of agreement drifted from the crowd.
“Let me be clear, family. If you wish to have any hope of keeping your home, your titles, and your royal status, you will say nothing of this to anyone. Am I understood?”
Another, louder, ripple of acknowledgement followed.
His words made me realize with a start that this was no longer the royal family. Princess Lilian, Prince Luther... without a blood relative on the throne, they would merely be citizens of Lumnos like any other.
No wonder Luther had proposed this deal—he stood to lose everything, including his precious title. It was almost enough to make me reject the offer on the spot.
But my plans were bigger than one man. House Corbois would meet its demise soon enough.
Along with every other House in Lumnos.
